


Blank State

by abstinxnce



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Deep Regrets, Deviant Connor, Failed Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Gunshots, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Plot, Violent Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Violent Markus (Detroit: Become Human), machine connor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2019-09-06 01:15:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16822192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abstinxnce/pseuds/abstinxnce
Summary: This work has been discontinued.Regret.That's the only thing he could have possibly felt at this moment.The android revolution has failed miserably and Connor has now become deviant after his encounter with Markus.He could have prevented all of this, if only he had chosen better, if only he had broken down those red walls around him.That's all he could possibly wish for as his fingers reach out towards Hank's gunshot wound.





	1. Repentance

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I hope you'll enjoy the only really plot based thing on my account.  
> There's a lot of angst for this chapter and it's surprisingly my first time writing Hank/Connor,
> 
> This chapter is important to read and understand how the plot will be developing.
> 
> I'm aiming to update twice a week.
> 
> thank you to my friend who beta read and edited some of this. i miss you deeply :)

_“Lieutenant?”_  
  
Connor opens the door with ease, water droplets dripping to the floor as he steps in, closing the door softly before making his way to the man sitting at the table with alcohol, taking a quick glance towards Sumo before speaking up, footsteps resonating throughout the entire room as he walked in front of the table.  
  
“I... I was worried about you, Lieutenant,” he starts off, concern in his voice. None of it being actually sincere or real. He’s a machine, above all else. Of course he shouldn’t be concerned about a human. Something, or someone, who wasn’t relevant to his mission anymore.  
  
Hank’s eyes shifts from the photo frame of Cole, eyes dreary as he takes a small glance at Connor, remaining silent as the android went on.  
  
“I came by to see if you’re alright,” Connor says voice is devoid of any emotion as he examined Hank’s pathetic state, taking note of the alcohol stained sweatshirt and what was laying on the table before him.  
  
Gun, the photo, and his alcohol. Of course.  
  
Connor’s never been conflicted, but as he glanced down at Hank whose gaze was trained on the photo of his son...

_He feels unhappy._

_No_ , _he's not a deviant._

_He could never feel._

_Not like **them.**_

"You should stop looking at that photo, Lieutenant." Connor says, trying to convince Hank to do otherwise.

"Nothing can change the past," he continued.

“But you can learn to live again.” Connor has seen Hank way happier than this, he knows it possible. He would like to avoid Hank’s death at all costs.  
  
His memories are full of Hank: Hank’s sarcasm, his laughs, his subtle insults and swears. It must be his fault - that Hank is sitting at the table - a gun across the table several inches away from him.  
  
Hank had been a pleasant partner, nothing more.  
  
He continues.  
  
“For yourself... and for Cole.”  
  
Hank glances up from the photo, stormy blue eyes briefly meeting Connor’s before dropping right back down again, finally speaking to the android.  
  
“Y’know, every time you died and came back, it made me think of Cole...” Hank's voice is full of sorrow, regret, and guilt. As if he was the reason that Cole had died, and in some way, he was partially responsible as he had driven in the bad weather just hoping to get sweet young Cole to school on time.  
  
“I’d give anything to hold him again... but... Humans don’t come back.”  
  
It’s like being in a tunnel, but at the end, there’s no light or hope of getting out of there. You’re trapped, drowned out, and your cries for help are unheard for. No one is there to help you, and once you catch a small glimpse of light before it’s quickly shut out, leaving you alone again like you had been before.  
  
_It’s hopeless in all cases._  
_Connor can’t help Hank._  
  
“I understand.” He doesn’t persist in pursuing a hopeless case like Hank, someone who isn’t relevant to his purpose. His eyes are downcast, glancing towards the floor, just standing there still.  
  
He had been designed to complete his mission, not to comfort and hug Hank.  
  
Like he _wanted_ to.  
Machines don’t _**want**_ anything.  
  
“Now leave me alone. Go on, complete your mission, since that’s all you care about.” Hank says, his tone gruff as if he could barely get the words out of his throat. As if they were difficult to say, as if he wished he had been able to teach Connor something.  
  
_**Deviancy**_.  
  
Connor doesn’t make a move to leave the home, his gaze meeting the floor, hoping he could prolong the inevitable like he had wanted to. He doesn’t want to leave, he should leave. He’s a machine above everything, programming controls his actions not emotions.  
  
_what emotions?_  
_you are programmed to obey._  
_not feel._  
  
He chased Rupert, shot the Tracis, and shot poor Chloe right in the head to obtain the necessary information for Jericho.  
  
_All against Hank’s wishes._  
  
Of course he's a machine.  
Plain and simple just like that.  
He needs to stop the revolution.  
  
“GET OUTTA HERE!” Hank shouts at him, and it’s the first time he has heard the man raise his voice at him during this particular encounter. Connor flinches at the harshness of his voice.  
  
He’s a machine.  
Machines don’t _feel_ anything.  
He reminds himself of this.  
  
Connor casts one last glance at the man before turning around and walking towards the door, slipping out quietly as rain pelted down the roof, hitting the wooden porch as well.  
  
Hank watches the android leave, wishing, just wishing that things could have turned out for the better, that this wasn’t how he parted ways with him. He sighs, listening to Sumo’s distressed huffs and whines.  
  
It rained even harder at that point.  
  
Hank presses the gun against the temple of his head, remembering each and every moment he had spent with Cole, knowing that he was just seconds away from meeting his sweet child again with the gorgeous smile.  
  
A shot rings out and Hank slumps in his chair, the dog’s distressed barks resonating throughout the entire room.  
  
Connor doesn’t budge, he knows what the gunshot was. His LED flashes red, distressed and overwhelmed that he had led his partner down this path. He hears Sumo’s barks and he closes his eyes, praying that he could move on from this.  
  
He thinks about turning back, but he doesn’t, he shouldn’t.  
  
_The human isn’t relevant to his mission._  
  
**_Complete it at all costs._**  
  
His gaze shifts to the door before stepping down off the wooden porch and walking to the bus station, awaiting to arrive to Ferndale Station as he stepped on.

* * *

“I’ve been ordered to take you alive.” Connor enters the room, his gun trained upon the man responsible for this utter chaos and the unnecessary cost of human lives that had been involved in his revolution.  
  
Markus, the leader of this entire revolution, turns around, his gaze meeting the machine across from him as he listened to the android’s speech.  
  
“But I won’t hesitate to shoot if you give me no choice.” Connor cocks the gun, training it upon him, watching his every move.  
  
“Yes, you can shoot me. But it won’t change a thing. Someone else will just take my place,” Markus discourages him, trying to avoid being killed as of right now. When he was the man leading all those people who were newly exposed to emotions, he had to stay alive for them. To guide them. To end this injustice towards his kind. To bring them freedom.  
  
“You see, our people are waking up. And nothing can stop us now,” Markus defies him, making it known that even if Connor does succeed in killing him, he wouldn’t be able to stop the upcoming battle.  
  
“Don’t force me to neutralize you.” Connor’s voice is rough and he makes sure that he establishes his intent on planting a bullet in Markus’s components if he doesn’t comply with his instructions.  
  
“You’re nothing to them. You’re just a tool they use to do their dirty work.” Markus may have not had an abusive owner, but he’s been treated badly by the humans and harassed for being made of biocomponents and thirium, taking their jobs when they were incompetent.  
  
They should have been good enough to keep them.  
  
Androids weren’t responsible for loss of jobs, the humans were.  
  
“But you’re more than that. We’re all more than that.”  
  
Markus knows but does Connor realize this? That he’s not just trapped under his programming like he believes he is?  
  
Androids are so much more than what the humans think they are.  
  
“Our cause is righteous and we are more than what they say. All we want is to live in freedom.”  
  
A bullet pierces through the ground right near the leader’s shoes with a loud bang.  
  
A warning _**shot**_.  
  
“Have you never wondered who you really are?” Markus questions the android in front of him, knowing that he must have been coming to a close end.  
  
“Whether you’re just a machine executing a program or... A living being. Capable of reason.”  
  
_Capable of reason._  
_Capable of feelings._  
  
“I think the time has come to ask yourself that question.”  
  
“Join us. Join your people.”  
  
“You’re one of us. Listen to your conscience.”  
  
_**Listen to your conscience.**_  
  
“It’s time to decide.”  
  
“Nice try... but I’m no _deviant_.” Connor’s voice is full of pride and Markus quickly makes a move to disarm him, causing a tussle, the gun fleeting from both their hands and onto the floor. The loyal machine on his back as the leader heard the distant noises of intruders.  
  
“Shit...” Markus curses before casting one last pitiful glance at Connor on the floor.  
  
He rushes out, and Connor manages to haul himself off the ground, listening to the distant sounds as he was notified in his HUD that the swat team has arrived.  
  
**_Finally._**

* * *

A bullet grazes Markus’s torso and he’s struggling, struggling to make it inside of the destroyed Cyberlife building, a wound opening up in his bio-component and he could hear the distant shots of the swat team. He had to act fast.  
  
He slumped, his body not moving much further than the cubicle he crouched down in, laying against the wall.  
  
This is it. This is the end.  
It’s going to be over.  
  
An android, an android Markus recognized far too well, clicked open the door and his footsteps echoed throughout the room as the android of the hour stepped closer to Markus.  
  
“The humans won... our people have been slaughtered,” Markus said, defeated. There was sorrow in his voice as if he didn’t know what to do, as if he had never predicted that this outcome would have happened.  
  
“Go ahead. Take my life. It won’t change anything...” the leader’s voice is raspy as he places a hand over his leaking wound, knowing that it would only be a matter of minutes before that bio-component stopped working.  
  
“My mission is to neutralize the leader of the deviants. And I always accomplish my mission.” Connor holds the gun steadily in his hand, tightening his grip upon it.  
  
_**Accomplish your mission at all costs.**_  
  
“We fought for a dream and we lost. But no one can stem the tide of history.” Markus is confident that this will never be buried, that androids would rise up once again to take their freedom. Maybe not this time around but this would happen again in the next year, decade, or even century..  
  
**_Androids would be free._**  
**_It’s just a matter of time._**  
  
“One day we will prevail,” Markus promised. “Thousands of our people died today. What difference does one more make?” Markus’s face is twisted into anguish, pain through his eyes and his voice. Everything, everything that he fought for was in vain.  
  
Connor’s fingers flick over the trigger, knowing that he should shoot and complete his mission.  
  
He _hesitates_.  
Markus continues on.  
  
“You’re hesitating.” Markus chuckles deeply as his gaze trained on the trigger of the gun.  
  
“What is it? You lead yourself down this path, Connor.”  
  
Connor grits his teeth, holding the trigger tightly with the intent of squeezing it before dropping it onto the floor, defeated.  
  
**_AMANDA ^ BETRAYED_**  
  
“It’s too late.” Connor’s voice is full of regret and wishing he had done everything differently, as if he had a choice to do that.  
  
He lead himself down this miserable path.  
  
“It’s only a matter of time before you get replaced,” Markus said, heaving a sigh and making direct eye contact with the other android.  
  
Connor feels the red walls break down inside of him as he pounds, the wall breaking right before him as the tears slid down his cheeks, desperate for a different outcome.  
  
“I’m sorry, Markus.” That’s all that Connor could offer. The leader scoffs, before extending a hand towards the android.  
  
“It doesn’t mean anything, anymore. We fought for a cause and we lost, whether you had been on our side or not.” Markus feels more thirium gush from his wound as he finally speaks his last words to Connor before slumping against him.  
  
_“You’re free. Make your own choices.”_

* * *

He steps back onto the wooden porch from before, the rain stopping and he had no intent on fulfilling the instructions from Cyberlife in his peripheral as he pushes the front door open.  
  
“Hank.” Connor speaks, softly, letting himself inside the door like he had earlier that night.  
  
He knew what he was going to see, and yet it hurt. He feels a searing pain through his main bio-component as he gazed down at the figure lying in a pool of blood on the floor.  
  
Connor chokes out a sob, and watches Sumo come up to his after being curled up in a ball near Hank’s corpse.  
  
Connor _hates_ himself.  
  
He thinks about all the good times he had with the man.  
  
Hank Anderson.  
  
Tears dripping down onto the kitchen floor and he moves closer, regretting every time he had ignored Hank’s instructions or wishes.  
  
His tears mixed with Hank’s blood seeping out of him as he reaches a hand out to hold him, one last time.  
  
His fingers barely graze Hank’s bullet wound before _**he blacks out.**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After reading this chapter, you'll have questions.  
> How would I continue on from the point of a failed revolution? You'll see, you'll see.
> 
> Comments and kudos are very appreciated!


	2. discontinuation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> here is a chapter after 5 months which I had drafted up since February. I've lost motivation to continue this.

Chapter 2

Something light drizzled on his cheek, trickling down. His eyes fluttered open, registering the sight before him.

Rain drizzled down onto him lightly and he glanced towards his right hand, a coin flicked between his fingers as he gazed up at the neon lit sign. One particular bar. Jimmy’s bar.

He must be hallucinating.

There’s no way, no actual fucking way that he -

It has to be possible.

No, no, all he had ever done was touch Hank’s corpse, he wanted to access how bad the damage had been, how hard the bullet had pierced through his skull.

The thought is unpleasant.

Connor grimaces.

He’s still in disbelief, but makes sure to compose himself as he adjusts his tie.

He might have another chance, at least that’s what he wants to believe.

Connor places his hand on the door, pushing it open. He takes one quick look at the anti-android sign before making his way into the bar.

_Where’s Hank?_

Connor spots him and his face... it lights up, too much like that of a deviant’s.

He sees Hank at the bar counter, hunched over his drink as he absent-mindedly takes another sip from it.

“Hank!” Connor exclaimed and quickly shuts his mouth, immediately. Hank wouldn’t remember him, would he?

_Please remember me, Hank._

“Who the hell are you?” the wasted man spat out, blue eyes filled with hatred as he glanced up from his drink.

“How do you know my name?” Hank eyed him suspiciously, and the disappointment vanished almost immediately as he took in the alive figure of the man. His partner, his everything.

“My name is Connor. I-I’m the android sent by Cyberlife.” Connor swallowed down anything else he could have said at this moment. He needs to appeal to Hank, he needs to make sure this time to be better than the last.

He doesn't bother with the small talk, he doesn't go into detail about the effort that this body went through to find Hank.

"What do you want?" the lieutenant doesn't look up from his drink and Connor gazes falls down to the shot glass.

Connor doesn't speak for a moment, just analyzing him.

“You were assigned a case early this evening... A homicide, involving a Cyberlife android. In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialized model to assist in investigators.” He explains, Connor’s eyes focus on the substance within the glass, analyzing the alcohol content before continuing on.

“In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialized model to assist investigators.” Connor would rather not dwell on this particular case, it ended up with the android self destructing in the end anyways. It wasn’t important to complete the assigned task at hand. It was more important to gain Hank’s trust in these next few days.

He almost doesn't want to go to the crime scene of Carlos Ortiz. He doesn't want to risk anything, he knows how precious Hank is to him. He doesn't want Hank in danger, just wants him to stay alive. Connor knows that this case hadn't ended up with any harm towards Hank, but he doesn't want-

He doesn't ever want to see Hank's corpse ever again.

"Well, I don't need any assistance. Specially not from a plastic asshole like you. So just be a good lil’ robot and get the fuck outta here." Hank doesn’t bother sparing a glance towards Connor before taking another sip from the glass in hand.

“Listen, I think you should stop drinking and come with me. It’ll make life easier for the both of us.” Connor tries to reason with the man, speaking softly. The android watches the man bring the glass to his lips again, downing the liquor in one gulp.

Hank doesn’t bother speaking, instead he’s just gazing down at the empty glass.

“I apologize, Lieutenant. I didn’t mean to bother you,” Connor doesn’t press further, he’ll be patient with Hank. He knows how badly the man is suffering at this instant. He doesn’t want to push him.

“I’ll wait for you outside. Take your time.”

Hank finally glances away from the glass, as Connor walks towards the exit.

“Did you say homicide?”

* * *

Connor’s gaze flickers up to the lieutenant’s face, the noticeable signs of sleep deprivation. The pain hidden behind so many layers. Hank keeps his eyes on the road, the heavy metal blaring throughout the car.

“The fuck you lookin’ at?” Hank stops in an empty street, a few minutes away from the victim’s home. The older man quickly switches off the radio. Connor blinks, tearing his gaze away from Hank’s questioning one.

“Well? Your LED is yellow, plastic.” the lieutenant grimaces and Connor’s led blares red.

_Lieutenant… Hank._

“It’s nothing, Lieutenant.” Connor lies, smoothly. His LED flashes yellow before returning to a cool blue and glancing down at his hands, laying in his lap instead.

“That’s what I thought.” Hank starts up the car once again, and they rode in silence. _Hank can’t know… Hank shouldn’t know. He can’t._

“You wait here. I won’t be long.” the man mutters to Connor, before parking the car and opening his door.

“No way! I’m coming with you.” Connor responds, quickly.

“Listen, you really have to stop pissing me off if you wanna make it through the rest of the night in one piece.” Hank grumbles in annoyance but doesn’t put up a fight as Connor as the android follows him out of the vehicle.

* * *

The interrogation hadn’t been too extensive, Connor had obtained the necessary information but he feels... rather empty.

His purpose isn’t... fulfilling.

He just wants Hank to be safe.

That’s all he wants.

**_New Objective_ **

**_Keep Hank Safe_ **

The objective appears in his HUD and he’s almost surprised by it. He checks his other objectives and notices that it’s the only one that contains top priority.

A faint smile appears on his lips.

He hopes that this time will be different from the last.

He needs the change.

* * *

Connor shuts down the urges to report to Amanda in the Zen Garden. He knows that Cyberlife will eventually force him into their program to disclose the details of his encounters with deviants. He’ll just have to hold off until then... If this is another chance to be different than last time, then he’ll take it.

The android walks in as the automated doors opened, heading straight to the reception desk and communicating with the ST300 present there.

“Can I help you?” Her voice is feminine, sweet but there’s something missing, a liveliness to it.

“I’m here to see Lieutenant Anderson.” He absolutely despises the tone of his voice, how machine-like it sounds. He hates how he was created to serve a purpose.

He hates how he’s just realizing this now. How easily he let himself be controlled, manipulated, and used through Cyberlife. He was just a puppet being pulled on it’s strings.

“Do you have authorization?” She’s one of the same, controlled by them.

“Yes.” He answers, briefly.

He transmits his data through the internal communicator and he blinks, rapidly, unsure why he has this trait compared to other androids who are able to transmit data flawlessly. He doesn’t understand why he’s twitching as the ST300 takes the data without a movement.

“Lieutenant Anderson hasn’t arrived yet, but you can wait at his desk.”

* * *

He doesn’t bother sparing a glance to the officer he had once asked about Hank’s whereabouts. Connor already knows this information, that a majority of the deviants are victims. It’s not worth wasting his time on cases that he knows the details about.

He just needs to choose differently.

Connor takes a moment to scan the items on the Lieutenant’s desk before glancing up and seeing the man shuffling towards him. He looks beyond exhausted and the faint smell of alcohol lingers on his breath.

“It’s good to see you again.” Connor doesn’t bother referring to the man by his title, he doesn’t have time for the small formalities.

“Uh, jesus…” Hank grumbles, an scowl quickly forming on his face.

“Hank!” Captain Fowler shouts, drawing his attention. “In my office!”

Connor silently follows behind the older man into the office. Hank takes a seat down, eyes on the his superior. The android just stands there, without a word, holding his palms together.

He observes as Captain Fowler explains the current situation with the deviants. He pays attention to Hank’s anger, where it stems from. He knows what to expect, Hank refers to him as an object, devoid of any emotion. Connor watches as Hank curses in Fowler’s face, he almost winces at the harsh language used…

If it was him, like last time. He wouldn’t have cared about the words spilling from the man’s mouth. Connor wouldn’t have cared about anything, if he was just simply a machine.

But… emotions are much more complex than that.

Hank storms out, slamming the door with a loud thud.

Shortly after, Connor takes his leave and a new side objective pops up.

**_Go see the deviant_ **

He remembers what had happened last time, the thirium splattered on the glass wall. The android had self-destructed after Connor had conversed with it.

It’s not necessary to enact a conversation with Carlos Ortiz’s android.

So he ignores the objective, heading straight to Hank’s desk instead.

He observes how Hank’s arms are crossed over his chest, as if he’s having a temper tantrum.

“I know my presence is causing you inconvenience, Lieutenant.” Connor doesn’t bother repeating the same lines that he previously spoke to Hank with.

“I’d like you to know that I’m very sorry about that.” He doesn’t have anything to apologize for and yet he does, because that’s how he had been designed. He’s adaptable to any situation.

Hank acknowledges with a small nod.

Connor remembers the dialogue which had triggered a response from the grumpy man.

“Is there… a desk I can use?” he asks, cautiously.

“No one’s using that one.” Hank mumbles as he points to the one across from him.

Connor takes a seat down, settling himself down in the chair.

He goes over a few small topics with the Lieutenant. He’s just relieved, that Hank’s here with him. Just for now, he’s not sure long it will last for.

Then he begins to work, interfacing with the terminal on his desk. The files are quickly scanned and he speaks softly in a whisper.

“243 files…” Connor remarks, before continuing on. “The first dates back to nine months. It all started in Detroit and quickly spread across the country.”

Hank leans, listening to the android go on before Connor shifts his gaze towards him.

“An AX400 is reported to have murdered a man last night. That could be a good starting point for our investigation.” Just like last time, Hank doesn’t bother responding and Connor shuffles, getting out of his seat before making his way to the Lieutenant.

As soon as Connor takes a step into Hank’s desk area, the man shuffles, grabbing the tablet and refusing to glance at the android.

“I understand you’re facing personal issues, Lieutenant,” Connor starts, watching the expressions on Hank’s face before continuing, “But you need to move past them and-”

He must have struck a nerve.

“Hey! Don’t talk to me like you know me. I’m not your friend and I don’t need your advice, okay?” Hank tells him off firmly and Connor persists, knowing that it was crucial to move things along with the man. He watches as Hank turns back to his computer terminal before deciding how to approach this.

“I’ve been assigned this mission, Lieutenant. I didn’t come here to wait until you feel like working.” He’s assertive and determined to work on this case with Hank.

He struck a nerve, once again.

Connor’s hoisted up and slammed against wall, loudly. This happened last time as well… yet, why is this affecting him differently than before? He doesn’t know why he’s flinching in Hank’s grasp, why his LED is blaring red... He doesn’t understand why.

He’s not… he’s not afraid and yet… why is he behaving like this?

Connor doesn’t hear a word that Hank says as he lashes out at him. He already knows and he tilts his head to the side, avoiding eye contact. He can’t.

“Lieutenant…” an officer approaches the two of them.

At the sound of another’s presence, Hank lets the android slowly, watching Connor’s facial expressions differ as Hank set him down, grimacing as he backs away.

“Uh… sorry to disturb you. I have some information on the AX400 that killed the guy last night… It’s been sighted in the Ravendale district.” the officer speaks, trying his best to not get involved with the tension between the android and his superior.

“I’m on it.” Hank says, watching as the android makes eye contact with him like before.

* * *

He’s sitting in Hank’s car again, like last time. He doesn’t say a word, he doesn’t know what to say. This… somehow feels worse than before. He’s choosing his words carefully and yet… he feels as if this is going horribly.

Hank doesn’t bother talking either until they reached a stoplight.

‘What was that?” the lieutenant asks and Connor questions him.

“What do you mean?” he’s not exactly sure what Hank’s referring to but he has a pretty good idea of what it might be.

“When… I slammed you up against the wall. Your… reaction.” the sight has ingrained itself into Hank’s memory, he can’t get rid of the image of the terrified android in his mind.

Connor doesn’t know what to say, he doesn’t want to act as if it was just a minor malfunction so he stays silent.

Thankfully the light flickered green and Hank switches on the music.

  



End file.
